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Harmful Stereotyping in Advertising Must Not Be a “Forever Problem”
Feb 26, 2021, 09:00 AM by La Toya Sutton, Attorney and Kat Dunnigan, Senior Attorney, National Advertising DivisionThough the annual celebration of Black History Month is drawing to a close, the plethora of issues raised by the study of Black history must always remain top of mind. For those of us who work in truth in advertising at BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD), we are paying very close attention to the issues of diversity and stereotyping, as presented in various forms of advertising. Developing a mechanism to addressing representation in advertisements would not be simple, but the time is now to start the conversation. Harmful stereotypes in advertising must not be a forever problem.Full story -
5 Tips for Truthful and Transparent Influencer Marketing and Product Reviews
Feb 24, 2021, 11:18 AM by Laura Brett, Vice President, National Advertising Division and Mary Engle, Executive Vice President, Policy, BBB National ProgramsBBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division is dedicated to truth-in-advertising. To help you ensure that influencer marketing and the use of product reviews in your advertising is both transparent and truthful, we offer the following five tips.Full story -
In 2021, Consumer And Stakeholder Privacy Is About Defining Trust
Feb 19, 2021, 13:25 PM by Eric D. Reicin, President & CEO, BBB National ProgramsAs business and nonprofit leaders navigate the Fourth Industrial Revolution, consumer and stakeholder privacy has become a matter of defining trust. As new digital services and connected devices fueled by personal data flourish, consumers’ reasonable expectation of privacy shifts. If expectations do not match reality, it can lead to gaps in trust and new paths for litigation and regulatory enforcement. In this piece I outline a few 2021 privacy developments business and nonprofit leaders should note.Full story -
Broadening the Definition of Express and Implicit Representation in Children’s Advertising
Feb 18, 2021, 09:38 AM by By Rashida Gordon, CARU Analyst, BBB National ProgramsOne way to gauge exactly how far we have come in implementing diversity and inclusion is by analyzing what we see on our screens, particularly in advertising. The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) recognizes the special vulnerabilities of children with their limited knowledge, experience, sophistication, and maturity and often places itself in children’s shoes to gain insight when assessing the role advertisement has in shaping their perception.Full story -
Misleading Health Claims in COVID-19 Advertising
Feb 17, 2021, 09:56 AM by Laura Brett, Vice President, National Advertising DivisionConsumers rely on ads, especially those that claim a product will support their immune system or help ward off disease. When they hear these claims, they also expect that there is science that supports such claims. Truth in advertising is important to protect consumers and help level the playing field for fair competition in the marketplace. This core concept becomes especially important when advertising health-related products, including over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements.Full story -
Big Game, Ad Claims: Reflecting on Super Bowl Advertising Tactics
Feb 10, 2021, 16:55 PM by Laura Brett, Vice President and La Toya Sutton, Attorney of the National Advertising DivisionSuper Bowl LV was watched by a total of 96.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings provided by CBS Sports, and you may have noticed on social media that we decided to have some fun this year. With a little creative help, we developed a game called #BigGameAdClaim BINGO. Being competitive types, we were looking closely for our industry’s fun phrases such as sustainability claims, anthropomorphic animals, and superior performance claims.Full story -
Champions for Truth in Advertising
Jan 27, 2021, 14:43 PM by Clint Perez, originally published on MediumToday, the National Advertising Division (NAD) continues to carry the torch for truth-in-advertising. As the advertising landscape has evolved over the last 50 years, NAD has continued to adapt to new products, new industries, and new advertising media. Laura Brett, Vice President of NAD, and New York Office Lead for BBB National Programs discusses truth-in-advertising trends, hot topics, and issues that lie ahead.Full story -
Status Update on Transatlantic Data Transfers: Building Bridges Takes Time
Dec 30, 2020, 10:24 AM by Cobun Zweifel-Keegan, Deputy Director, Privacy Initiatives, BBB National ProgramsAs 2020 draws to a close it is a good time to reflect on learnings about the future of authorized transatlantic data transfer mechanisms. In light of Brexit and continuing developments surrounding Schrems II, we discuss what the structure of the current Privacy Shield Framework can teach us much about what future commercial transfer mechanisms are likely to look like, as well as what businesses can do to shore up their compliance efforts.Full story -
Operation Income Illusion: A Positive Step by the FTC to Curb Deceptive Income Claims
Dec 23, 2020, 09:00 AM by BBB National ProgramsThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s December 14 Operation Income Illusion initiative is a crackdown by the FTC and 19 federal, state, and local law enforcement partners against those that purport to offer significant income opportunities but that end up costing consumers thousands of dollars. This effort is consistent with an ongoing effort in the direct selling industry to ensure income claims are communicated truthfully and accurately.Full story -
CFBAI and CCAI 2019 Report on Compliance and Progress Published
Dec 21, 2020, 19:23 PM by BBB National ProgramsBBB National Programs has published the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) and Children’s Confection Advertising Initiative (CCAI) Report on Compliance and Progress During 2019. The report finds excellent compliance by all companies participating in the programs from January 2019 – December 2019. The report also notes the CFBAI participants’ implementation of stricter Uniform Nutrition Criteria in 2020.Full story -
CARU’s Year in Review: Defining Kidvertising and Tackling Hot Topics Head On
Dec 10, 2020, 09:00 AM by BBB National ProgramsDuring an uncertain year, the team at the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) stayed busy. Through casework, online conferences, an evolving technology landscape, updates to policy and guidelines, and new thought leadership, our efforts furthered our mission to help companies comply with the laws and guidelines that protect children and their personal data.Full story -
Navigating In-App Advertising in Children’s Apps
Dec 3, 2020, 09:02 AM by BBB National ProgramsWhile the FCC regulates children’s cable television and allows for only 10.5-12 minutes of advertising to be shown per hour, there is no comparable guidance to regulate the volume or frequency of ads in digital advertising. Most mobile device users have grown accustomed to dealing with the ubiquitous presence of ads in apps. However, there are a few ad practices that can become problematic when used in children’s apps. Read on to see what our experts had to say.Full story -
For Business, It Is A Time To Lead
Dec 2, 2020, 09:00 AM by Eric D. Reicin, President & CEO, BBB National ProgramsWith results from the presidential election officially in but the U.S. Senate in a state of uncertainty until Georgia’s runoffs in January, businesses are contemplating what a divided government could mean for them. Yet while it is only prudent to assess how executive and legislative decisions might reshape marketplace conditions over the next several years, I suggest there is a more pressing problem for businesses to address right now: a lack of trust in the marketplace.Full story -
CARU's Tips for Parents: Safe and Efficient Holiday Shopping
Nov 24, 2020, 09:00 AM by BBB National Programs2020 has been a year unlike any other. In a time of great uncertainty, facing the holidays can feel be daunting. When it comes to holiday shopping, it is safe to say that many of us will be primarily shopping online this year. To help ensure your online holiday shopping experience is safe and efficient this holiday season, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) team has put together some tips and red flags to consider when making those all-important gift selections.Full story -
After Seven Months, the Verdict is in: Fast-Track SWIFT is Fast and Fair
Nov 19, 2020, 10:55 AM by BBB National ProgramsThe National Advertising Division (NAD) Fast-Track SWIFT advertising challenge process launched seven months ago as a faster way to resolve single-issue cases. The process has kept its promise of fast and fair decisions. This blog covers lessons learned and best practices gathered by the NAD team since the launch of SWIFT.Full story -
Monetization: The Privacy Risks and Rewards of In-App Purchases and IBA
Nov 5, 2020, 09:57 AM by BBB National ProgramsEvery day, teens download apps for free on the Google Play and Apple App Stores and, in doing so, participate in a hidden advertising ecosystem that collects data from them. In-app purchase options and behavioral advertising further complicate things. Though these monetization models have caused the mobile app economy to flourish, they sometimes come at the cost of user privacy.Full story -
Risky Business: A New Study Assessing Teen Privacy in Mobile Apps
Oct 29, 2020, 09:00 AM by BBB National ProgramsTeen privacy is more at risk online than ever. The TeenAge Privacy Program (TAPP) new whitepaper, Risky Business: The Current State of Teen Privacy in the Android App Marketplace, examines how teens put themselves at risk when they engage with mobile apps.Full story -
NAD 2020: A Virtually Stellar Advertising Law Conference
Oct 15, 2020, 09:01 AM by BBB National ProgramsThis year the National Advertising Division (NAD) Annual Conference, NAD 2020, welcomed marketing and advertising law experts to a virtual event that featured high-caliber keynote speakers, cutting-edge panels on advertising law, and key topics such as COVID-19 fraud, diversity and bias in advertising law, and the controversial role of social media. Here are some takeaways from the event that we found worthy of a call-out.Full story -
Defining 'Child-Directed' and Addressing New Technology: Discussing COPPA Updates at CARU 2020
Sep 23, 2020, 09:52 AM by BBB National ProgramsOn September 22, the 2020 CARU Conference kicked off the Fall Series with a keynote from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC)'s Peder Magee, and Phyllis Marcus, a Partner at Huton Andrews Kurth and one of the original authors of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).Full story -
What Parents Need to Know About Mobile App and Device Permissions
Sep 17, 2020, 10:18 AM by BBB National ProgramsIf there is one thing most parents know, it’s that Kids. Love. Apps. But how do you determine what apps are "safe" for your child to download? If you want to evaluate an app to determine how safe your child’s data will be if they use it, let's start by understanding the permissions the app asks for.Full story
Other Blog Articles
Blog
Harmful Stereotyping in Advertising Must Not Be a “Forever Problem”
Though the annual celebration of Black History Month is drawing to a close, the plethora of issues raised by the study of Black history must always remain top of mind. For those of us who work in truth in advertising at BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD), we are paying very close attention to the issues of diversity and stereotyping, as presented in various forms of advertising. Developing a mechanism to addressing representation in advertisements would not be simple, but the time is now to start the conversation. Harmful stereotypes in advertising must not be a forever problem.
Read more
Blog
5 Tips for Truthful and Transparent Influencer Marketing and Product Reviews
BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division is dedicated to truth-in-advertising. To help you ensure that influencer marketing and the use of product reviews in your advertising is both transparent and truthful, we offer the following five tips.
Read more
Blog
In 2021, Consumer And Stakeholder Privacy Is About Defining Trust
As business and nonprofit leaders navigate the Fourth Industrial Revolution, consumer and stakeholder privacy has become a matter of defining trust. As new digital services and connected devices fueled by personal data flourish, consumers’ reasonable expectation of privacy shifts. If expectations do not match reality, it can lead to gaps in trust and new paths for litigation and regulatory enforcement. In this piece I outline a few 2021 privacy developments business and nonprofit leaders should note.
Read more
Blog
Broadening the Definition of Express and Implicit Representation in Children’s Advertising
One way to gauge exactly how far we have come in implementing diversity and inclusion is by analyzing what we see on our screens, particularly in advertising. The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) recognizes the special vulnerabilities of children with their limited knowledge, experience, sophistication, and maturity and often places itself in children’s shoes to gain insight when assessing the role advertisement has in shaping their perception.
Read more